Investigators recovered a firearm linked to the Oct. 9 shooting near Rep. Lee Zeldin’s Shirley home following the arrest of a teenager who was seen entering a stolen vehicle Monday, according to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office.
Noah Green, 18, of Shirley faces felony charges of criminal possession of a weapon and criminal possession of stolen property.
Mr. Green allegedly was in possession of a loaded Taurus 9mm pistol when he was arrested Monday and a microscopic analysis linked the weapon to the shooting near Mr. Zeldin’s home. Police previously said that they did not believe the shooting was linked to the congressman, who is the Republican candidate for governor. Two teenagers suffered non-fatal injuries in the shooting on Allanwood Drive in Shirley.
“Over the past three weeks, investigators from the District Attorney’s Office working with Suffolk County Police Department detectives, have been working to solve the shooting that occurred outside Congressman Zeldin’s home,” said DA Raymond Tierney in a statement. “Through that collaborative and diligent police work, we have now recovered one of the firearms used in that dangerous shooting.”
Police were conducting surveillance Monday and at about 1 p.m. spotted Mr. Green exit his home and enter a stolen 2022 Honda CRV. Mr. Green tried to flee on foot as officers approached, according to the DA, and jumped on the hood and roof of a police vehicle, damaging the roof.
Mr. Green allegedly “began to reach for his pants pocket” where the loaded pistol was stored as officers attempted to place him under arrest, according to court documents.
A forensic analysis revealed Mr. Green’s fingerprint was present on the fully loaded magazine that was loaded inside the weapon, according to the court documents.
A picture allegedly posted on Snapchat by Mr. Green holding the weapon was included in a bail application by the DA’s office. Investigators said additional images and videos posted on the account linked Mr. Green to the stolen Honda. Surveillance video and eyewitness statements both showed a recent black Honda CRV was the vehicle used in the Oct. 9 shooting.
Mr. Green’s involvement in that shooting remains under investigation.
The teenager faces a minimum sentence of three and one-half years on the top charge and an additional one and one-third to four years if consecutive sentences are imposed.
Mr. Tierney said the investigation remains ongoing and “more developments” are expected in the future.
Mr. Zeldin, whose campaign for governor has focused largely on crime, seized on the opportunity to use the shooting for political advantage. His teenage daughters, who were home at the time of shooting, were featured in an advertisement, in which Mr. Zeldin says “Vote like your life depends on it, because it does,” as he stands with his wife and daughters.